A significant shift could be on the horizon in college basketball, as two of the sport’s most prominent coaching figures—Bruce Pearl of Auburn and John Calipari of Arkansas—have aligned on a proposal that could reshape the structure of the game. Calipari recently laid out his vision for a major reform aimed at adapting college basketball to the evolving realities of athlete compensation, player mobility, and fan engagement. Now, with Pearl throwing his support behind the plan, momentum is beginning to build.
Calipari’s proposal includes a number of sweeping changes, most notably the introduction of a structured, nationwide revenue-sharing model that would allow players to receive compensation in a more uniform and transparent way. This move would complement the current Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) framework, which has been criticized for its inconsistencies and lack of regulation across different programs and states. Calipari’s argument is simple: college basketball needs to catch up to the new era of athlete empowerment, or risk losing its grip on top-tier talent to professional leagues and overseas options.
Bruce Pearl echoed these sentiments in a recent interview, emphasizing that the current system creates too many disparities and
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